Akin Oyebode, a professor of International Law and Jurisprudence, at the University of Lagos, says there are many problems plaguing Nigeria as country and the real reason he adds that corruption must be fought to a halt before it kills the country soon.
“If drastic measures are not put in place urgently to contain it, corruption might ultimately result in the mortality of Nigeria as a nation-state,” Oyebode said on Thursday in Lagos.
He was speaking at a roundtable organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) in collaboration with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Oyebode who delivered a titled “Strategies for Mobilising Mass Action to Demand Anti-Corruption Reforms and an End to Impunity for Grand Corruption in Nigeria” stressed that mass action by the citizens is urgently needed to put pressure on authorities to end impunity for grand corruption in the country.
He said: “The people must be enlisted in the war against corruption. Nigerians should start anti-corruption clubs in schools, radio jingles should be put in place to fight corruption, carry placards, go outside, organise sit-ins like SERAP is doing presently, Nigerians should be mobilised against corruption and now take their destiny in their hands”.
“The fight should not be left alone to organizations like SERAP and when the state wants to attack organisations like SERAP, the masses should fight for them.”
He also condemned the move by the National Assembly to control Non-governmental Organisations through the NGO Bill noting that governments do not want anybody to act as impediment to their thievery activities.
“The recent attempt by the National Assembly with the NGO bill to control, monitor and eventually sequester CSOs all because of the excuse that some CSOs are corrupt should not be allowed. Cutting off the head is not the cure for headache, the bill is overkill.
“Corruption is now thriving more than ever before, despite the ongoing fight against it. However, international law has really helped with a plethora of laws against corruption, it now behoves on citizens to take advantage of this laws to fight against corruption,” he said.